Question 1

What is Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan?

Accepted Answer

Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan is a local credit union (caisse populaire) that forms part of Desjardins Group, the largest federation of credit unions in North America. Located in the municipality of Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan in Quebec's Lanaudière region, this community-based financial cooperative serves members in this rural municipality situated approximately 40 kilometers north of Montreal. The caisse operates as a democratically-controlled cooperative where members are also owners, participating in governance through elected boards of directors and sharing in the institution's success through patronage dividends (ristournes).

Question 2

When was Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan founded?

Accepted Answer

While the specific founding date of this individual caisse is not publicly documented, it is part of the broader Desjardins movement founded by Alphonse Desjardins and his wife Dorimène Roy Desjardins on December 6, 1900, in Lévis, Quebec. The first caisse populaire in North America was established to provide fair access to savings and credit services for working-class people who faced usurious lending practices. Between 1900 and 1920, Alphonse Desjardins personally founded 163 caisses populaires across Quebec.

The Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan serves the historic municipality of Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan, which was recognized as a parish in 1832 and as a civil municipality in 1855.

Question 3

Where is Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan headquartered?

Accepted Answer

The caisse is headquartered at 40, rue du Docteur-Wilfrid-Locat, Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan, Quebec, J0K 3H0, Canada. Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan is located in the Montcalm Regional County Municipality within the Lanaudière region. The municipality is situated on the banks of the Achigan River and accessible via Autoroute 25.

Question 4

Where does Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan operate?

Accepted Answer

The caisse primarily serves the municipality of Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan and surrounding communities in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan covers approximately 80 square kilometers, with 80% of the territory dedicated to agriculture. The caisse serves a population of approximately 5,450 residents (as of 2021).

While this specific caisse focuses on its local community, members also have access to Desjardins Group's extensive network, which includes over 700 points of service across Quebec and Ontario.

Question 5

What services does Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan offer?

Accepted Answer

The caisse provides comprehensive financial services to personal and business members, including:

Personal Banking: Everyday accounts, savings accounts, term deposits, credit cards, personal loans, lines of credit, and mortgage financing.

Business Banking: Business accounts, commercial financing, cash management services, and payment processing solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Investment Services: RRSPs (Registered Retirement Savings Plans), TFSAs (Tax-Free Savings Accounts), RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans), FHSAs (First Home Savings Accounts), mutual funds, and wealth management advisory services.

Insurance Products: Home insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, health and disability insurance through Desjardins Insurance.

Digital Banking: Members access services through AccèsD, Desjardins Group's mobile app and online banking platform. Features include mobile cheque deposits, Interac e-Transfers, bill payments, account management, budget tracking tools, and the Alvie virtual assistant that provides personalized financial insights.

The branch maintains in-person service hours Monday through Friday, with extended hours on Thursdays, and provides ATM access for deposits and withdrawals.

Question 6

What makes Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan unique?

Accepted Answer

As a cooperative financial institution, the caisse operates on fundamentally different principles than traditional banks. Members are owners who elect a board of directors from among themselves to govern the caisse democratically. Each member has one vote regardless of their account balance, embodying the cooperative principle of "one member, one vote."

The caisse redistributes surplus earnings back to members through ristournes (patronage dividends) and invests in community development. It maintains a strong commitment to local economic development, supporting agricultural enterprises, small businesses, and community projects in Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan and the surrounding Lanaudière region.

The caisse emphasizes community involvement through scholarship programs, financial assistance initiatives, and partnership programs. Members can participate in annual general meetings to influence decisions about how surplus earnings are distributed and which community projects receive support.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan?

Accepted Answer

Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan is a caisse populaire, the Quebec term for a credit union. In Canada, caisses populaires are financial cooperatives that are owned and controlled by their members. This distinguishes them from chartered banks, which are owned by shareholders who may have no direct relationship with the institution's customers.

Under Quebec law, caisses populaires are regulated financial institutions that provide the same range of services as banks but operate under cooperative governance principles. Desjardins Group, to which this caisse belongs, is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada and the largest federation of credit unions in North America, managing over $460 billion in assets and serving 7.8 million members as of 2024.

The caisse is part of a network that includes approximately 210 caisses across Quebec, all federated under the Mouvement Desjardins (Desjardins Movement).

Question 8

How does Caisse Desjardins de St-Roch-de-l'Achigan serve its agricultural community?

Accepted Answer

Given that 80% of Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan's territory is dedicated to agriculture, the caisse plays a vital role in supporting the local agricultural economy. The municipality hosts diverse farming operations including market gardens (maraîchères), grain farms (céréalières), livestock operations, and specialized producers like the fromagerie La Suisse normande (cheese producer).

The caisse provides agricultural financing solutions, including farm operating loans, equipment financing, land acquisition mortgages, and business advisory services tailored to the unique needs of agricultural producers. Through Desjardins Group's specialized agricultural services, local farmers have access to expertise in farm succession planning, risk management, and agricultural investment products.

This agricultural focus aligns with Alphonse Desjardins's original vision; he was posthumously inducted into the Agricultural Hall of Fame of Quebec in 1994 for his contributions to advancing agriculture in the province.

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